SIMI'S ULTIMATE SURVIVOR FRESHMAN JENNA HEIM TOUGHENED BY CANCER FIGHT.

Byline: KEVIN CONNELLY Special to the Daily News

Jenna Heim was just 7 years old, enthralled by cartoons and bedtime stories, when her childhood was stripped away.

It began without warning. Heim's mother, Jamie, found an abnormally large swelling on her daughter's chest and immediately consulted a physician to schedule a biopsy.

The family hoped and prayed, but the subsequent tests confirmed their worst fears: The jovial young basketball lover was diagnosed with a life- threatening form of lymphoblastic lymphoma cancer.

The disease would require chemotherapy and years of medical attention.

``I remember a lot of it, and I remember being a little scared,'' said Heim, 14, whose recovery has led to a spot on Simi Valley High's girls' cross country team. ``But I never really gave up hope that my life would return to normal.

``My family was there the whole way to support me, and, thanks to them, I'm back to normal again.''

After more than two years of tests, an energy-sapping chemotherapy treatment, 3,500 pills and the fear that her heart would not be strong enough to live an independent life, Heim is competing in arguably the most physically strenuous of all sports.

She clocked 16 minutes, 8 seconds on the hilly, 2-mile course at the Sept. 9 Fastback Invitational in Walnut, finishing 34th in a heat that featured 70 other freshmen girls.

Heim has since been sidelined by a hip injury, but she said she hopes to return Friday for the Ventura County Championships at Lake Casitas.

``The cancer has become part of who Jenna is, but it is by no means what defines her,'' Jamie Heim said. ``She doesn't bring it up unless people ask her about it. She's had the chicken pox, too, and she doesn't go around telling people about that, right?''

Although nearly every teenager has a chicken pox story to tell, about one in every 500,000 experiences Heim's rare form of lymphoma.

Although recent medical advances have improved the complete remission rate of the disease to 96 percent, that Heim is able to compete in sports just seven years after her initial diagnosis is a minor miracle.

There is a 1 percent chance she will suffer a relapse.

``I couldn't believe it when I heard Jenna was a cancer survivor,'' said Simi Valley cross country coach Roger Evans. ``We were at a team dinner at the Heim home, and I thought they were joking when it came up in a casual conversation.

``I had known Jenna for months, so I was absolutely stunned. I was rather reluctant to push her at first, because we lift weights and run really hard at practice, but Jenna is just as capable as any other freshman girl out there.''

Heim was drawn to the sport by one of her five siblings, Simi Valley senior runner Lindsay Heim, the best friend of two-time defending Ventura County cross country champion Anna Sperry.

``Having my big sister there with me is great, and Anna is just full of energy and optimistic about everything,'' Jenna Heim said. ``I love running with these girls because we all get along really well, and the older girls treat the freshmen just like anybody else.

``I used to be more of a basketball fan, but I think cross country is my favorite sport now. I like it because it's all up to you to challenge yourself to get better.''

And Heim knows a thing or two about a challenge.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

BOYS

Joe Wiggan, Burroughs, Sr.

Football

Wiggan rushed for a season area-high 39times for 240 yards and fourtouchdowns Friday in a 25-18, come-from-behind victory over Pacific League rival Muir of Pasadena. Wiggan, whose Indians (6-1 overall, 4-0 Pacific) are in sole possession of first place in the Pacific League, has 1,142 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.

GIRLS

Emily Tubert, Burroughs, Fr.

Girls' golf

Tubert, one of the area's best female golfers, shot a 1-under-par 70 Thursday in the first round of the Pacific League individual finals at Montebello Country Club. The second round is today, with Tubert looking to improve upon her seven-stroke lead.

UP & COMER

Jessica Vizents, Rio Mesa, Fr.

Girls' tennis

Vizents and fellow freshmen Sonia Landeros and Sarah Cook combined to win seven sets in Thursday's Pacific View League victory over Oxnard. The Spartans, tied for the Pacific View lead, are the only area team with three freshmen singles starters.

TRIVIAL MATTERS

Oaks Christian of Westlake Village running back Marc Tyler rushed for 308 yards and four touchdowns Friday in a 55-7 romp over Tri-Valley League rival Oak Park. Tyler, who has said he will attend USC, has 114touchdowns in his career, with as many as eight games remaining if the Lions advance to the Div. III California Bowl. The all-time state touchdown mark? Lorenzo Booker's 137 for St. Bonaventure of Ventura from 2000-02.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 6 boxes

Photo:

(1) Freshman Jenna Heim, right, was diagnosed with cancer at age 7. She survived the disease and runs for Simi Valley's cross country team with her sister Lindsay.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(2) Joe Wiggan, Burroughs, Sr.

(3) Emily Tubert, Burroughs, Fr.

Box:

(1) ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (see text)

(2) UP & COMER (see text)

(3) TRIVIAL MATTERS (see text)

(4) DAILY NEWS RANKINGS

(5) DAY PLANNER

(6) THEY SAID IT